More same sex couples are being urged to come forward and find out about having a family through fostering or adoption.
Durham County Council is joining this year’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Fostering and Adoption Week.The council is holding an information drop-in session on Saturday, 2 March at Gala Theatre in Durham City.
Anyone interested can pop in between 11am and 1pm where there is the chance to meet some same sex parents to hear about their experiences and also the opportunity to speak to social workers.
Jessica Cowan, team manager, said: “There are a lot of myths that surround both fostering and adoption and people often rule themselves without talking to us.
“One commonly held belief is that same sex couples cannot foster or adopt. We would like to reassure anyone thinking about becoming a foster carer or adopter that they can contact us and find out more. What is more important than anything else, is your ability to understand and care for a child and provide a stable family life.”
Durham County Council’s Fostering and Adoption Team will provide training and will support and help couples to understand what is involved.
In Durham there are a lot of different types of support. There is an extensive training programme for both foster carer and adopters and also a dedicated therapeutic service for looked after children, which includes a consultant clinical psychologist and a team of therapists. Durham County Council also subscribes to New Family Social, a national charity which works with foster carers and adoptive parents. This means the support in every aspect is second to none and foster carers and adopters in County Durham rate this service extremely highly.
Jessica added: “Fostering and adoption can make a real difference to the lives of children and young people, if you have ever thought about it then now is the time to find out more.”
